Apr 1, 2014 8:44 PM

I have never seen anything like this before. The above describes it very well. the abdomen looks like the top part of the pod, even with the characteristic beak and straw colour, and the wings look like pod walls that have separated in dehiscence. At the right time of year it would be fantastic camouflage. It sat for some hours on the outside surface of a door and when nudged did not want to fly - it just raised itself up on its legs. It has gone now.

Both my examples concern one organism making itself look like something of no interest or to steer clear of (as far as a predator is concerned). Your example concerns camouflage: a slightly different strategy.

As adults, moths have some of the most superb camouflage in nature. As somebody who has been studying moths for about fifty years, I am still fascinated by the variety of patterns and colours on moth wings and bodies. Having seen so many excellent examples of their camouflage, I often find myself wondering, when faced with a moth new to me, "What snippet of the environment is this chap copying?" I was delighted to find the lizard poo to explain one instance. But there are so many to which I have not found the answer.